Scribbles on Scraps of Paper
by Star Otaku
Summary: A collection of random oneshots and drabbles related to R.O.D. Ranges from the silly to the serious. Most likely where I'll post miscellaneous R.O.D related things.
1. The Carpenter

Disclaim or Die: Read Or Die, Read Or Dream, and R.O.D-the-TV is copyrighted by and the property of Hideyuki Kurata, Akitaro Yamada, Studio Deen/SME, Sony, and currently licensed by Manga Entertainment, Geneon, and VIZ Media. Whew, I hope that covers everything!

Author's Notes: My first attempt at a drabble, or some sort of short length fic. Written around the same time as I put together "Paradise Lost," hence the Biblical allusions. I forgot about it and rediscovered this stowed about in my hard drive. Consider it a companion piece to "Paradise Lost." In this, I tried to encapsulate Joker's ambition and the undertone that he wants to pull the strings behind the scenes.

**The Carpenter**

Joseph Carpenter.

Joe-car.

Joker.

Anyone could have taken his codename to refer to that infamous wild card.

Why yes, he did have an unreadable poker face. Why yes, he did have a very sharp and dry wit. Why yes, he knew how to stack the deck, or bring it down.

Everything he did seemed to attribute itself to a single card.

But the name's origin was humble and unoriginal.

Joseph Carpenter.

A man with a simple name and very big ambitions.

One could even exaggerate and say that his ambitions were of biblical proportions.

Of course, Mr. Carpenter would smile wryly and think that, in the absurdity of the statement, it was true.

By far, he was not a religious man and he did not have some messianic complex of martyrdom, because preserving his life is essential to synthesize the second coming of Mr. Gentleman.

He was only the deliverer of the world's saviour.

The most important men, men who could change history and the world by simply existing and could live on and on forever... those men needed someone to serve them. A herald to prepare the way, a nurturer to help the saviour's transition.

He was a simple man, with a simple name, and he knew his role was second to Mr. Gentleman. The role that was most likely not big enough to fit him, but he accepted it and pursued it relentlessly anyways. He did not hesitate not because of the praise and recognition (because he would not receive any nor be remembered for it in the new world), but because it was necessary.

In the grandest scheme of things, within a new world, men like him would take a background role to the true revolutionaries. Preparing the tools was less noble than actually using them, but he was content and humble with that.

After all, Joker knew that Joseph was a carpenter.


	2. Precious and Special

Disclaim or Die: Read Or Die, Read Or Dream, and R.O.D-the-TV is copyrighted by and the property of Hideyuki Kurata, Akitaro Yamada, Studio Deen/SME, Sony, and currently licensed by Manga Entertainment, Geneon, and VIZ Media. I hope that covers everything!

**Precious and Special**

Her favourite book ended up on the floor again. Even when she put it up on the shelf the night before, after she read it for the umpteenth time then put it away, she would awaken in the morning to find it on the floor by her bed.

So she picked it up and put it back on the shelf, nice and neat where it belonged.

Hisami had come to regard _Red Haired Anne_ (or _Anne of Green Gables_ as it was known in its native country) as a friend she would want to have. She wanted to find her bosom buddy, her best friend whom she could share herself with.

She remembered there was a time when she would take that book to bed with her because it held the only friend she ever dreamed of.

For as long as she could remember, she was surrounded by books.

Many would say that her absent parents or her affliction of painful shyness were the root of such behaviour, but strange enough to say, the reason she wanted to be with books so often was because she felt like they spoke to her. It was easier to hold a book close, to open it up and to have it tell you everything it contained.

People were not like books. They said things and did things that she didn't like, they made fun of her or pretended to be nice, and she didn't know why they act like that.

People could run faster, jump higher, could do a lot of things better than her and look down on her because she wasn't good enough or because she didn't fit in.

Books did not judge, and Hisami found that comforting, so whenever she read a book, she did her best not to judge it in return. It was easier to feel and deduce the intentions of a book, and sometimes she felt that when she held a book close, it would whisper to her: _You are precious and special._

She wanted to keep feeling that way, and so she stayed with her books, her friends in the library whenever she could.

Hisami's friend was paper until that day in class, when a new student arrived. The new girl who was everything that she was not, and when she should have been afraid of her, memories of red-haired Anne, Anne with an "e," came to mind. So she thought to herself: _She must be precious and special_.

And when they were in the library, getting to know each other and becoming friends, she thought she felt the texts say: _She is precious and special._

Then day that Hisami said goodbye to her red-haired Anita, she knew that she had found her bosom friend. And as the paper fell around them, and she could almost hear them sing, _Both of you are precious and special._

All day, she carried such thoughts and feelings, even dreaming of such things when she went to bed.

Hisami woke up and found that her favourite book ended up on the floor by her bed again.

So she picked it up and was ready to put it back on the shelf, nice and neat where it belonged.

She looked at the worn cover, the dog eared corners, and the pages warped by sweaty, timid hands. Not well used, but well loved.

She held it close and sighed, embracing the book. Somehow, she felt it embrace back.

Gently, she laid her friend on her pillow, for truly, it was precious and it was special.

* * *

Author's Notes: Another "lost" ficlet of mine originally titled "Potential." I wrote this when I theorized that Hisami, being a book lover, had the potential to become a bibliophile and develop paper powers. Looking back, it's a bit off to think such things since her relationship with Anita is supposed to parallel Yomiko and Nenene's relationship - that of an author and a reader. The story is ambiguous about whether or not she has powers; just because she could be a bibliophile, it doesn't necessarily mean she'll develop any. Reading it now, I like to think of this story as showing the mutual love between books and those who love them, and maybe Hisami is just a little more special because she becomes an author: someone who creates stories and books.


	3. Paper Lantern's Might!

Disclaim or Die: Read Or Die, Read Or Dream, and R.O.D-the-TV is copyrighted by and the property of Hideyuki Kurata, Akitaro Yamada, Studio Deen/SME, Sony, and currently licensed by Manga Entertainment, Geneon, and VIZ Media. I hope that covers everything!

**Paper Lantern's Might**

In the very heart of the ancient Hidden Library, Yomiko Readman waited for the newest additions to the Paper Lantern Corps.

The name didn't really make sense, since the power source for their bookmarks was a book shaped battery. Of course, the book itself seemed to give off a glow, so that could have been where the lantern bit came from... And it was very practical for the book shaped battery to double as its own instruction manual, mission log, communicator, any other word related function that was essential to being a Paper Lantern...

Sighing and putting the thought out of her mind, Yomiko touched her glasses, then slid her hand down over her red tie. Her bookmark was still secured along the length of it. The bookmarks could have been worn in any way by each member of the corps, and she chose to have hers along her tie, which was tucked into her vest. Perfect so that no opponents would be able to grab it away from her. Unless, of course, they intended to hazard a grope while they were at it!

She wondered if she'd been a good teacher. She thought her own teacher, Donnie. She remembered his diligent care, guiding her and nurturing her, even up until his-

A shiver.

It was hard to think of his death, after all these years. It still seemed fresh.

With his last breath, he told her how proud he was of her.

_From letter curt to epic ramble,  
From senseless series to profound drabble,  
Books and people consume my love,  
Paper lanterns, rise above..._

He swore his oath for the final time, and helped her recite her own. He had held her hand as she shakily cradled his body, helping her get the words out as he passed his title onto her. She remembered her own faltering voice, each syllable ringing past her tears:

_A wordless sheet or tale-filled tome,  
Books will always be my home.  
In the library's storm, I am the eye,  
A paper lantern, I read or die!_

The shuffling of the walls of the living Hidden Library alerted her that the new recruits were coming.

These three girls had developed their own powers together, forging their own niche and working as an effective team. Each one specializing in defense, offense, and strategy. Yomiko knew that it was out of the question to split them up, but in part of her training with them, she had helped each of them build up a little bit in each of the areas they lacked, so that way if one was incapacitated, the other two could cover in a pinch.

Yomiko was a little envious of the girls' strong bond. They had grown close, calling themselves sisters and adopting each other as such.

As much as her power, duties, and love of books had brought her to meet some wonderful people - like Nenene, Nancy, and Donnie - the existence of a Paper Lantern was also lonely and painful.

Chasing such thoughts away (and hoping they stayed away), Yomiko brought a smile to her face as she greeted the Three Paper Sisters: Michelle Cheung, Maggie Mui, and Anita King. The three of them crowded together in a close triangle, with Michelle and Maggie backing up Anita.

They stood proudly, wearing their bookmarks in their own individual style. Michelle's bookmark was wrapped around her wrist, peeking out coyly from her ruffled cuff. Anita's was displayed proudly, dangling with the streamers from her right head bun. Maggie wore hers with the tassel tied to her thumb, easy to grab and point for her familiars.

Michelle beamed. "Paper Sisters reporting!"

"Ah... I am very proud of the progress the three of you have made, especially Anita. She's come a long way and learned so much for someone her age and overcome her dislike of books."

Anita turned her head up and sniffed. "They're not so bad."

"Yes, well, since the three of you are the very first team to enter the ranks, I think it would be nice that if you were inducted by reciting your pledge together. Do, um, do you have one?"

Maggie nodded. "Mm."

Michelle raised her hand. "Sensei, we had a meeting and thought really hard about what we wanted to say for our oath! So right now, all in favour of the all new Paper Lantern Sisters oath?" She kept her arm up.

Two others joined her without hesitation, and were raised high as they spoke in synchronicity.

"We were lost and now are found,  
By love of books we are bound.  
Sisters three, we are a team,  
Paper lanterns - read or dream!"

Yomiko clapped. "Welcome to the Paper Lantern Corps! Shall we go and introduce you to the League?"

* * *

Author's Notes:  
Inspiration was taken from the Read Or Die LJ community, for someone had likened the paper user powers to that of the Green Lanterns - it's the same basic power, but how it's used is unique to the individual. I decided to use the Hidden Library from the Read Or Die manga as a stand-in the home planet Oa instead of the British Library because I wanted to give the Paper Lanterns a very otherworldly base of operations. Plus, I wrote the oaths first and then built the one-shot up around them. Tee-hee!

Written for Section 8, based upon our strange conversation about an anime-based Justice League. As he has said, "My word, this was silly. Although I like the idea of power bookmarks; they could let you teleport (like a website bookmark), stop time (hold your place in a book)..."


	4. Mister Joker?

Disclaim or Die: Read Or Die, Read Or Dream, and R.O.D-the-TV is copyrighted by and the property of Hideyuki Kurata, Akitaro Yamada, Studio Deen/SME, Sony, and currently licensed by Manga Entertainment, Geneon, and VIZ Media. I hope that covers everything!

**Mister Joker?**

When he was considering crossing the line into villainy, he had the choice of subtle, mechanistic villainy or outlandish cartoon villainy. As a rational man, he would have chosen the former than the latter, but he was always one to consider other alternatives. One could not step into these choices lightly.

Cartoonish villainy had the fortunate guise of chaos; the wanton and exaggerated release of the base impulses of madness and appetite for destruction. He could certainly put a method to the madness, and that would be the perfect smokescreen for his grand scheme.

It certainly seemed to be the ticket. Remove the tiresome and drawn out cat and mouse games the world of subterfuge and manipulative villainy always held. The would have been such a relief; no more running his hand over his hair... he believed he was getting a bald spot if he kept that up.

He had one objection though: the requirement that when entering cartoonish villainy, one should be bedecked in a most garish garb.

Really, he had no objections to the green vest. It was a very nice vest, and the shade was not that far off from the beautiful forest green of his work blazer. But the matching purple suit was in poor taste. The flower in the breast pocket did class it up a little, but that was little consolation since it was one of those gag squirty flowers.

Dressing the part for outlandish cartoon villainy was something he would do on a lark, if he were but a rowdy schoolboy again. Just like crossdressing and re-enacting Monty Python skits. There were only few things that he was willing to give the old college try.

Joseph Carpenter was a big boy now and he needn't have use to dress up like an old maid. No matter how much he missed the feel of apron strings fastened snug around his waist, or the ticklish feeling of a grey wig on the nape of his neck, or the shrill falsetto of asking for more Spam.

Enough of reminiscing for now.

And the make-up.

Really!

Green hair and white face?

His British complexion was pallid enough as it was. He needn't exaggerate it to the point of unhealthiness!

And green hair.

Ridiculous!

Only shabbily safety pinned, anti-imperial, anarchistic punks that listened to The Clash and Sex Pistols would have the horror of green dyed hair.

Indeed, he was no punk. He stopped the line there.

And the maniacal... grinning. Not even a grin, more a carved grimace.

No grinning. Stiff upper lip. That was the British way.

Really.

Outlandish cartoon villainy did not have any redeeming qualities at this point.

"Aw bloody 'ell!"

That was the distinctly familiar voice of his secretary, Wendy.

If she adopted a grossly vulgar Cockney accent instead of her daintily prim London one.

And in fumbled Wendy Earheart in a red and black checkered leotard, complete with the pointed shoes and hat with bells on the end.

"Oi don't know woi you're not complainin' about these dreaded costumes. F'oh the loif of me, Guv'nah J'eh, Oi don't see the point of cartoonish vill'nee if Oi gotta dress up as some Picadilly strumpet! Yuh can see me bosoms bobbin' about! Me mum would be ashamed!" she groused. "Greasepaint! And the greasepaint make-up makes me skin all itchy!"

She executed a few cartwheels and spins with acrobatic grace and poise.

"Though prancin' loike a fairy without bumbling 'bout is a blessing. Oi never knew Oi 'ad it in me! Whaddya think, Guv'nah J'eh?"

Wendy landed on her feet, bells jangling and bos- erm, bells bouncing. Standing in that gymnastic pose with her posture straight, arms in the air, back arched and b- um... bells displayed in such a way that the contrasting red and black squares really stood out.

Joker really wished that he had a sign that with a big 10 on it. The fact that she had not tripped for as long as she had made her presence known to him was quite the occasion that warranted a perfect score.

His gaze appraising his stalwart secretary come vulgar moll. Now he certainly could do without the change in accent, but there was just something so ruggedly appealing about having someone with such a quality under his wing. It gave him hope to mold it right out of her while he conducted her in the ways of evil goings on.

And he could appreciate the utility of the leotard. It allowed freedom of movement and the colour scheme was most distracting so that she could provide a diversion for him as he carried out his evil plans.

He cleared his throat to answer Wendy's query. "Maybe cartoonish villainy does have some finer points. We may not understand them Wendy, but we must respect them."

So he nodded, signalling that he would allow themselves just a few more moments of being in such ridiculous garb before he reverted to the choice of subtle, mechanistic villainy.

* * *

Author's Notes:  
Little parody written way-back-when for the Read Or Die LJ community. Another DC Universe skit, a response to someone's comment about Joker and Wendy's relationship mirroring Joker and Harley... or something like that. Thought I'd dig out this piece, dust it off and give it a bit of a spit-shine, and post it for all to see. The phrase "evil goings on" was borrowed from the comedic fluff genius that is Rhainwen. I begged of it then and I beg of it now: forgiveness for the terrible OOC-ness, eye-bleeding way of writing a Cockney accent, and using a lame Batman joke.


	5. For the Love of Paper

Disclaim or Die: Read Or Die, Read Or Dream, and R.O.D-the-TV is copyrighted by and the property of Hideyuki Kurata, Akitaro Yamada, Studio Deen/SME, Sony, and currently licensed by Manga Entertainment, Geneon, and VIZ Media.

**For the Love of Paper**

Maggie never really liked Sonny Wong, and her sisters felt the exact same way. Anita didn't like him because he was just "some big, dumb jerk who thinks he can get the job done just by being a one man wrecking crew." Michelle merely tilted her head, hand pinching her own cheek, and muttered, "Scary..."

But they didn't like him for the same reasons she did.

Anita couldn't tell because she never had an affinity for books. Big Sis probably felt it, but didn't really pay much mind to it.

Sonny Wong was the strongest paper master that Dokusensha had, but it was only because of the brute strength and efficiency with which he performed his tasks. Never sociable, he got on by being dark and intimidating; he definitely had the power to back that image up. For the first few times that the Paper Sisters Detective Agency encountered Dokusensha and its hulking enforcer, it somewhat bothered Maggie that she never felt a book on his person. Even underneath that bulky coat of his. All she could feel was the slight shivering of the reams of sheets lining the insides of the coat.

It wasn't until she first saw him in action that Maggie disliked him, possibly come even close to despising him as she can get.

She now knew why she felt the paper shiver. It trembled in fear of him, of his power as he forced the paper to his will.

When he worked - oh, when he worked - Maggie could almost hear the unbearable screaming of the sheaves as they were forced into his commands.

Her concentration was sharp enough that the paper's pain didn't distract her.

The relationship between paper and paper master worked because there was mutual love between the two. They served each other and did their best for each other because of this love.

Maybe that was how things started with Sonny, but the power must have corrupted him. Or maybe he was created as an experiment in some Dokusensha lab where he lost his sanity, his mind and desires becoming warped and twisted (that is, if the rumours were true). Perhaps it was always about the power.

It wasn't until she had to go head to head with him that she understood why the paper stayed with him.

When he grabbed the jaws of her snake familiar and molded them into twin lances, that was when Maggie felt it.

It overwhelmed her, almost to the point of sickness.

Whatever love was between Sonny and paper, it was tainted by fear and violence.

It was an abusive relationship. Whatever he could get his hands on, he was so overwhelming and so willful that paper couldn't help but bow and obey. He loved the power that came from bending the paper to his will. He used paper to kill, to destroy - the opposite of paper's desires. To serve his own ends and to never serve it. To take and never give as paper did.

All the other paper masters had a mutual understanding with paper: they could come and go - sheets would fly away and readers would need to put down their books once in a while - but they will always return to each other.

There was a reason why he was called "The Recycler" - he never wasted a sheet. He made the paper stay, stay by him always and leave by _his _terms only. So paper he took stayed by his side, clinging to him despite the hurt because paper loved all - unwilling to abandon him for paper never truly abandoned anyone.

The love of paper is all-encompassing and reassuring. Those who truly love and are loved become the strongest, but this had to be the first case where love was unrequited but it still persisted. The love of paper is also fickle and destructive.

When he died (and Maggie was very sure that he was dead), she still felt some of the paper sheets shiver and let themselves be pulled under the oil with him out of some perverted loyalty. Some were relieved, but fearful and lost. It took almost all of her concentration to coax and gather the floaters to come to her and help her build a gondola.

Maggie would have to ask Yomiko about the history of other paper masters when she returned with Nenene. She had to see if there were any past Sonny Wongs.

For the paper's sake, she feared was that there would be another one in the future.

* * *

Author's Notes: Here's a more serious one-shot. While the character of Sonny Wong is really cool in the R.O.D universe, it never did sit well with me that he was one of the most powerful paper masters Dokusensha has had, and yet he doesn't display any feelings for books. Okay, so he may be all business and we never got to see his behaviour off-screen, but this here fic is my theory for why he is so powerful without being around books. Since he's such a closed off character (figuratively and literally), Maggie was the best proxy to use to examine him. It's not just because she shared the most screen time with him (although that was part of my reasoning), but also because of her quiet and introverted nature. I think that there are things she ponders about, but she's very private and keeps them to herself because she doesn't want to trouble her sisters with them.


	6. Second Edition

Disclaim or Die: Read Or Die, Read Or Dream, and R.O.D-the-TV is copyrighted by and the property of Hideyuki Kurata, Akitaro Yamada, Studio Deen/SME, Sony, and currently licensed by Manga Entertainment, Geneon, and VIZ Media.

**Second Edition**

A Paper, an Author, and a Deep.

Being a writer - and a damn talented one at that - Nenene was aware of the ironies and other subtle plot devices of life. The world moves in circles: the seasons turn; the sun, moon, and stars wheel the same path across the sky; history repeats itself.

She looks at Anita, Hisami, and Junior. They've grown well into their teenage years. While the three of them seem to be close friends, it's more like Anita spends time with Hisami or with Junior, but Junior and Hisami never seem to have any incentive to hang out unless Anita is there.

She looks at Yomiko, herself, and Nancy. The three of them have reached a standstill. Frankly, neither side is willing to back down but won't force Yomiko to choose, and Yomiko is too afraid of hurting both of them and so all of them do nothing.

But this isn't about this generation's problems.

It's about the next.

As cynical as Nenene is, she wants the next generation to learn from their mistakes, their inaction and insecurities. She wants them to be friends, but she also wants a definite decision to be made.

She wants to grab Anita and say, "You have to choose eventually, Chibiko, so which one is it gonna be? I think you should go for Hisa; you two really complement each other."

Or sit her literary successor down for a pep talk: "Hey kiddo, paper masters are usually dense, so you have to really let her know how you feel. And you need to _tell_ her in person instead of through your books."

Possibly have a conversation with Junior. With him being a smart boy and all, they wouldn't have to say much. "You see those two? You know better than to get between that, right?"

But Nenene is not one to meddle. Besides, that's really more of Michelle's department.

Nonetheless, Nenene sees so much of Yomiko, Nancy, and herself in Hisami, Anita, and Junior. And while the differences are what really stand out, it is the subtle little sames that are the ones to watch.

Hisami and Anita reflect Yomiko and herself in terms of personality and temperament, except the roles of Paper and Author are reversed. Junior is no steaming sexpot like his mother, but he is a Deep, and he is growing up to be quite the charmer. He hasn't taken to wooing the pants off of any girl (hell, even guy) that makes moon eyes at him, but he still gets noticed enough that he could if he damn well wanted to.

It's stupid of her try to and live through those who will take up the mantle. To force her own desires and wishes upon these children - especially Anita and Hisami - would be the worst, most unfair thing she could do to them. She should trust them to make their own decisions and find their own path. Perhaps she should have more faith in them; a belief that they'll be smart enough, different enough than the previous legacies they've inherited.

Nenene rebukes herself for thinking like that. What arrogance.

_Legacies._

As if they were representing the factions of some long-standing feud.

This is between Nancy, Yomiko, and herself. They're still alive. There's still plenty of time to change what's wrong between the three of them.

As for Hisami, Anita, and Junior, well, there's nothing between them yet. But if there is, if there will be, then there's definitely plenty of time for them too.

* * *

Author's Notes: I think that this piece is pretty self-explanatory. The question of whom Yomiko should be with on the shoujo-ai side of things is hard to get a good handle on. Yomiko, with either Nenene or Nancy (both of them) make a lot of sense. Yomiko and Nenene have had years of friendship and adventures. Yomiko and Nancy I had an intense partnership that could have been more but was tragically cut short. Yomiko and Nancy II spent years living together, dependant on each other while they hid from the British Library. Despite all the sense that each pairing makes, the issue is left at a standstill. At the same time, there's the three roles being reflected in Anita, Hisami, and Junior; once again, a Papermaster is caught between and Author and a Deep. At this point, I don't think Anita, Hisami, and Junior are aware of a love triangle between them. There probably isn't even one yet. The point remains that it might develop, and history is at the point of repeating itself. As for the ending, I wanted to keep things ambiguous but hopeful; no definite decision has been made on the older side of things, but a decision could be made, and from there, the younger generation could learn.


End file.
